Initial proposal for Top 10 recommendations by our goup

[Thea]

Hello All,
Here is the list of potential Top 10 recommendations for our group,
that David & I worked on together the week before last. I am very,
very open to alternative suggestions - was initially hoping that we
would each develop our own Top 10 list and then we could pick the best
from our lists of suggestions, but unless I have missed other emails,
this is all we have so far. I cheated a little - we got so many great
ideas from our brainstorming sessions that I ended up grouping them
together, with the general topic heading as the recommendation and
then multiple suggestions listed under that as ways to achieve that
goal.

Our group is presenting next Monday, June 9, at the Council Chambers
at City Hall. Please come if you can, so that you can hear everyone's
comments and suggestions regarding our initial proposal and we can
make modifications as indicated. At a minimum, it would be good to
have agreed on a list of what we think should be in our Top 10 for
recommendations. If we have more detail on any of the topics, that's
great, but it's also fine if we don't have a lot of other detail by
then, as we still have a number of weeks to work out the details of
each recommendation.

I know that meeting all together has been a challenge, as we all have
different schedules. At this point, much of the work could be done
individually, at a time that works best for each of us. I am thinking
that it would be easiest for us each to take a particular area within
our Top 10 list and work on developing a more detailed recommendation
within that area. I will send a separate email with info on the
topics we are supposed to include for each recommendation. If we go
with a list similar to this one, here are my suggestions for possible
topics we each could write up in more depth, based on the interests
and/or expertise expressed previously by you all:

David - environmental planning, plus maybe trees (you said you found
some great websites before) (proposed recommendations # 1 & 7)
Cheryl - reducing toxin exposure (proposed recommendation # 2)
Marn Yee - reducing plant-related water consumption (proposed
recommendation # 3)
Thea - waterway restoration (proposed recommendation # 4)
Liz - local agriculture (proposed recommendation # 5)
Nancy - community habitat creation/restoration (proposed
recommendation # 6)
Espe - biodiversity (proposed recommendation # 10)

Proposed recommendations 8 & 9 are without a natural owner - anyone
game?

Initial Proposal for Top 10 Recommendations
from the Suburban Natural Ecosystems Working Group

1) Maximize tree coverage
a) Increase funds for city street trees
b) Increase staff to monitor compliance w/ tree protections,
enlist volunteers to assist
c) fund for maintaining heritage trees
d) Require trees in all revised parking lots
e) Set goal for trees in city & provide avenue (e.g. website)
for feedback to city, have award for church/school w/ most native or
carbon or pollution reducing trees
f) For city trees, focus on ones that reduce carbon or
pollution, or increase habitat

2) Minimize toxins
a) Use integrated pest man at all public sites (city,
schools, parks, etc.
b) Encourage use of integrated pest on private prop
c) no cosmetic use of pesticides or herbicides

3) Minimize water use for plant-related cosmetic purposes
a) Use native or drought tolerant plants for public areas
b) minimize grass unless required for specific purposes such as
playing fields, dog runs, or picnic areas
c) Use recycled water for city irrigation
d) encourage home grey water use

4) Maximize restoration of natural waterways through and within Mtn
View
a) work w/ Save our Streams to restore streams
b) Partner w/ SCVWD to restore rivers
b) support Cargill ponds restoration

5) Maximize local food production within Mtn View
a) partner w/ local community grps to use school sites for food
production and education
b) identify potential community garden sites, especially near
areas of high density housing

6) Maximize small and large scale habitat preservation, restoration &
creation within Mtn View
a) get certified with National Wildlife Federation as a Community
Wildlife Habitat
b) Certify as butterfly migration stop w/ Monarch watch
c) Certify as migratory bird stop
d) Support SCVWD flood basin project @ Cuesta park, if the
environmental impact statement that will be completed in July finds
this project will favorably impact wildlife habitat in this area.

7) Make impact on the environment a top priority in planning
decisions

8) Train local garden workers & youth in methods of environmentally
healthy gardening (and other eco-friendly trades), and have
certification programs and a database of individuals w/ those skills

9) find innovative & effective ways to involve all types of properties
w/in Mtn View in the effort to maximize the areas within Mtn View that
are devoted to tree cover, habitat restoration, and local food
production, & biodiversity

10) Preserve & enhance species biodiversity within Mountain View,
fostering a healthy, diverse, and interconnected ecosystem / web of
life within Mtn View

[Nancy Dinsmore]

Hi Thea,

 

I am trying to finalize the information I have for you on these three items.  I am surmising that there will be about 1-2 minutes for each item - 10+ groups and we have 10 items - one evening of 21/2 hours.  SO, it seems that this should be relatively short, 1/2 page each at the most.  IS there a formal format?  I have my information in bullet points, with a few sentences for the intro and the why is this important.  IS there anything more I should add?

 

Thanks, Nancy